The use of thick film conductor compositions in the fabrication of hybrid microelectronic components is well-known in the electronics art. Broadly, such compositions include a conductive metal or alloy; a bonding material, such as glass; and a vehicle, usually an organic compound or polymer, which serves as a dispersing medium for the conducting and bonding phases of the composition.
In use, such thick film conductor compositions are applied in the desired configuration or pattern onto a suitable substrate. In this regard, substrates have been fabricated from numerous types of materials. For example, such substrate materials include alumina, beryllia, aluminum nitride and silicon carbide.
Of the many substrate materials utilized today, one which is especially useful is aluminum nitride. However, one problem associated with its use is the limited adhesion of most thick film conductor compositions to aluminum nitride or aluminum nitride containing structures.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a means of bonding thick film conductor compositions to a ceramic substrate fashioned from aluminum nitride.